Effectiveness of education based on family-centered empowerment model on health-promoting behaviors and some metabolic biomarkers in elderly women: A stratified randomized clinical trial

The purpose of family-centered care interventions is to enhance the abilities of family members in certain areas that overcome the barriers to health and well-being, The purpose of the present research was to determine the effect of education based on family-centered empowerment model on health-promoting behaviors and some serum metabolic indicators in elderly women.

In this stratified randomized controlled trial, 60 elderly women aged 60 years and older referring to elderly-friendly health centers in Tabriz-East Azerbaijan were divided randomly into intervention and control groups in 2019. Intervention group received a family-centered healthy lifestyle intervention once a week for 10 sessions and the control group received the routine care. The mean score of health-promoting behaviors using the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II questionnaire, glycemia and serum lipid profile, liver and renal function, 25-hydroxy Vitamin D, and calcium serum levels were assessed before the intervention, 2 and 6 months after the intervention through SPSS/version 23 using independent t-test, ANCOVA, and repeated measure analysis.

The ANCOVA test showed a significant increase in total lifestyle score in the intervention compared to the control group, 2 (adjusted mean difference [aMD]: 13.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.6–21.8) and 6 months (aMD: 17.2; 95% CI: 7.7–26.7) after education. The score of the nutrition and health responsibility domains significantly increased two (P < 0.05) and 6 months (P < 0.001) after the intervention in the intervention group compared to control. In both groups, serum levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, urea, and creatinine showed a significant decrease, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and calcium levels showed a significant increase (P < 0.05).

A healthy lifestyle education based on family-centered empowerment model increased the total lifestyle score. So, it is recommended as an effective educational approach to improve the health of elderly.